DOT: Preserving ‘human touch’ important in PH tourism amid digitalization

Maintaining the “human touch" is essential in Philippine tourism amid digitalization, according to Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco.

Frasco delivered this message in her speech on the second day of the World Travel Market (WTM) Ministers’ Summit in London last November 6.

“The balance very much weighs heavily on the side of human interaction, especially that in the Philippines, tourism employs anywhere from 6 million to 9 million according to the WTTC (World Travel and Tourism Council),” Frasco said, noting that tourism contributes over 8.6 percent to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP).

“And so, we are very conscious to ensure that the human element of tourism is never lost in the Philippines, especially recognizing that Filipino hospitality is known worldwide and is the very best asset of Philippine tourism,” she added.

Among the agency’s implementing programs under digitalization are the Hop-On Hop-Off bus tours with mobile app integration and GPS tracking, the Tourist Assistance Call Center, and the Travel Philippines app.

With the theme, “AI for Good inTourism: Exploring AI and Emerging Technologies,” the WTM summit ran from Nov. 5 to 7.

For its second day, the summit focused on how Artificial Intelligence (AI) and advanced technologies are reshaping the future of global tourism

Frasco said through the National Artificial Intelligence Strategy (NAIS) in 2021, a “Roadmap 2.0 was rolled out in 2024 for the development of a Center for AI Research and Development."

This focuses on research and development in “sustainable agriculture, disaster resilience, as well as urban planning.”

“These three essential components of development will determine the success of tourism in the country,” Frasco said.  —Mariel Celine Serquiña/RF, GMA Integrated News